The Role of Social Workers in Helping Street Children

Abstract UNICEF (2001) defined a street child as any boy or girl who has not reached adulthood, for whom the street has become her or his habitual abode and/ or sources of livelihood, one who is inadequately protected, supervised or directed by responsible adults. What is clear from the above definition of a street child is that such a child leaves home to stay on the street and the street not only becomes the child’s home but also the source of a living. Such a child assumes full responsibilities on his or her own life. Street children are further as either ‘on the street’ or ‘of the street’. Children ‘of the street’ live and sleep on the streets in urban areas and streets are their homes whereas children ‘on the street’ have their homes and only come to the streets to beg for money during the day and return home in the evening.